It is well documented that USN aircraft carrier-borne were equipped with the ARR-1/ARR-2/ZB homing devices. Were the seaplanes like the OS2U Kingfisher carried by USN cruisers/battleships also equipped with it?
The guidance that approved installation - in aircraft carriers - was issued in 1938. Here's the typical installation in an OS2U in 1940 (no ZB-* - at that point, at least):
On the other hand, the OS2U photos I took of the rear gunner/radio operator position at the NASM Museum at Udvar-Hazy do show some improvements. It was restored to its configuration in 1944, when it was used on the USS Indianapolis. You can see the ZB-* tuning dial just under the DU direction finder loop adapter for the RU receiver directly beneath it.
The other half of your question would likely be answered by a photo of the USS Indianapolis ca. 1944. The YE/YG antenna was normally the highest one on the ship. But given the fact that cruisers usually covered carriers, they might have used the carrier YE as the target to return to the general vicinity of the Task Force. I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader (I get seasick too easily...)
- Mike KC4TOS